Bitters

An alcoholic beverage made from distilled spirits that have been flavored with extracts from herbs, spices, roots, botanicals, or substances such as citrus peel that is used to make orange bitters. High in alcohol content, bitters should be added cautiously due to the strength of the liquid, causing a cocktail to taste excessivley astringent if too much is added. Bitters are used in mixed drinks when adding a liquid (dry) zest instead of a fruit peel zest or as a tonic to be consumed before (apertif) or after dinner (digestif), since bitters are often served as an appetite stimulant or a digestive aid.